Only one place made sense when the time came for Canada-based
NORR to open a U.S.-based branch - downtown Detroit.
The architecture firm set up shop in the Dime Building in the fall of 2006, creating 12 new jobs downtown. Since then it has expanded its staff to 40 people and 3-4 interns. The company hired eight new people two months ago, including one of its recent interns. It hopes to hire more later this year.
NORR does most of its work with prototype buildings, but is planning to diversify to higher education, retail and government buildings. It got its foothold in America after taking on the design work for Motor City Casino.
"Based on that project we saw the need to have a presence in the U.S.," says Elaine Taylor, marketing manager for NORR.
It also just opened an office in Tampa, plans to open an office in California and is looking at opening other offices across the U.S. But NORR plans to grow its Detroit office as its U.S. headquarters, using the other offices as satellites. The company’s brass is impressed with the rebirth of downtown Detroit and wants to be player in that growth.
Source: Elaine Taylor, marketing manager for NORR
Writer: Jon Zemke
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